Mouflon
(Ovis musimon)
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Ovis
Species: Ovis musimon |
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HABITAT AND RANGE:
Mouflon are historically found on the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Cyprus. Since the mid-19th century large introductions have re-established their populations in much of Europe. Like most wild sheep, the Mouflon are found in upland areas. Most populations undergo seasonal migrations, generally dispersing upward and over large areas during the summer and concentrating in sheltered valleys during the winter. |
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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Mouflon are medium-sized sheep with the adult males averaging around 120 pounds. They are 4 to 5 feet long and stand about 2 to 4 feet tall at the shoulder. The males are horned and the females are horned or polled. The horns on the male are usually around 25 inches in length. They are usually red-brown with a dark stripe on their backs, light-colored saddle patches and underparts. They have a coarse, heavy coat that hides a woolly under-fur in the winter. |
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ADAPTATIONS: The female Mouflons are social and remain in groups, while the males are solitary for part of the year. Mouflon exhibit sexual segregation with the females out-competing the males for available resources. This is because the ewe’s health is more important than the ram’s for reproduction. The longevity of an individual depends on the population’s status. In a declining or stable population with low reproduction, most sheep live over 10 years with a maximum lifespan of 20 years. In an expanding population with heavy reproduction, the average lifespan is only 6 to 7 years. |
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DIET: Mouflon are herbivorous, feeding on short grasses that grown on mountain slopes. At the Zoo they are fed grain and hay. |
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REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Like most wild sheep, Mouflon go through a rut in late autumn and early winter. The males are in strict dominance based on age and size of horns. Ritualized crashing of their horns together allows dominance to be reinforced. The dominant ram then courts the estrous females before mating. The ewes do not breed until they are 2 or 3 years old and, because of social factors, the males do not breed until approximately 7 years of age. The gestation period is 210 days. The young females remain with the mother’s group, while the males are forced into their own group by 2 to 4 years old. Ewes can either be primiparous (giving birth to one lamb) or multiparous (giving birth to more than one lamb). When multiparous, the ewe has better reproductive success. |
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STATUS IN WILD: The Mouflon are listed as Vulnerable in the wild. |
